"
There was silence, and the great nobles looked on, not understanding,
while Dunstan held his torch so that the light fell full upon Sir
Arnold's pale features.
"Then take my glove!"
He plucked off his loose leathern gauntlet and tossed it lightly at
Gilbert's face. But Dunstan's quick left hand caught it in the air,
while the torch scarcely wavered in his right.
Gilbert was paler than his enemy, but he would not let his hand go to
his sword, and he folded his arms under his mantle, lest they should
move against his will.
"Sir," he said, "I will not fight you again at this time, though you
killed my father treacherously. Though you have stolen my birthright, I
will not fight you now, for I have taken the Cross, and I will keep the
vow of the Cross, come what may."
"Coward!" cried Sir Arnold, contemptuously, and he would have turned on
his heel.
But Gilbert stepped forward and caught him by his arms and held him
quietly, without hurting him, but so that he could not easily move and
must hear.
"You have called me a coward, Sir Arnold de Curboil. How should I fear
you, since I can wring you to death in my hands if I will? But I will
let you go, and these good lords here shall judge whether I am a coward
or not because I will not fight you until I have fulfilled my vows."
"Well said," cried the old Count of Bourbon.
"Well said, well done," cried many others.
Moreover, the Count of Savoy, of whose race none was ever born that
knew fear, even to this day, spoke to his younger brother of
Montferrat.
Pages:
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304